Salesian Cooperator Promise: Understanding, Analysis, and Practice

ASSOCIAZIONE DEI SALESIANI ASSOCIATION OF SALESIAN COOPERATORS Renew: The PVA RESOURCES FOR FORMATION The PVA: our identity card in the Church, in the Salesian Family and in society. TOPIC: THE PROMISE 1876-2026: 150 years for Salesian Cooperators A dream, a promise, the future: Remember, Renew, Relaunch

THE PROMISE 1. God promises! 2. What does the PVA say about our promise as Salesian Cooperators? 3. In-depth Analysis. a) Which aspects of our Promise should be considered more deeply? b) How can we put these aspects into practice in our lives? c) Good practices 4 . Conclusions 5. Ideas for personal and group reflections 2

God promises! As Christians we are familiar with God s promises. We believe that He will fulfill His promises, because He has already done so. God promises to provide strength and help in times of need. (Isaiah 41, 10) God promises peace to those who trust in Him. (John 16, 33) God offers rest to the weary. (Matthew 11:28-29) God s love is steadfast and unchanging. (Isaiah 54:10) God promises redemption and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:13-14) Do you remember your own promises? The one that you give to your family members, in your workplace, in your daily life? Do you fulfill each one of them? Do not take promises so lightly Do you remember the Promise that you made as a Salesian Cooperator? 3

THE PROMISE What does the PVA say about our Promise as Salesian Cooperators? In Chapter V of the PVA, you can find the explanation and the meaning of the Promise of the Cooperators. It is not a vow, but a personal commitment and expression before God and other members of the Association, that the Project of Apostolic Life will be the guide in our daily life. Before the Promise, there must be good preparation and formation. The person who wants to make his or her Promise and become a Salesian Cooperator, should understand all the aspects of becoming a Salesian Cooperator ... In short, fully understand the PVA. Statutes Art. 32. The Promise - I PROMISE to live out the Project of Apostolic Life of the Association of Salesian Cooperators with commitment - to be a faithful disciple of Christ in the Catholic Church; - to work in Your Kingdom, especially for the advancement and salvation of the young; - to deepen and give witness to the Salesian spirit; - to collaborate, in Family communion, in the apostolic initiatives of the local Church. 4 4

THE PROMISE In-depth Analysis of the Promise as Salesian Cooperators The promise is our way of fulfilling our Baptism .. The promise, in its structure, contains the four aspects of our Christian life: The Christian life, and living it within the apostolic family of Don Bosco is a gift from God. Our adoration takes form in our service to the young people and to ordinary folk. Our life is a response to God s gift. It s not our own decision. The way to thank God is to commit ourselves to the few things stated in the Promise. This is our life. We cannot be good Christians and honest citizens without fulfilling our commitments. Working in God s Kingdom as Catholics, for us, means to work for the advancement and the salvation of the young. In this way we will deepen the Salesian spirit within ourselves Evangelize by educating. Educate by evangelizing . The fidelity to the Promise is also a gift from God. As in all aspects of our Christian life, everything comes with the strength of the Holy Spirit In Jesus, through Jesus, with Jesus as in our life after our Salesian Promise. 5 5

THE PROMISE In-depth Analysis of the Promise as Salesian Cooperators The promise reflects all the PVA We thank God for having us come to know in the Church the apostolic Family of Don Bosco, which lives for You at the service of the young and of ordinary folk. is connected to our spiritual identity as an Association (main content of Chapter I). The promise to live as true Salesians in the world reflects the contents of Chapter 2 (The mission of the Salesian Cooperators) and Chapter 3 (The Spirituality of the Salesian Cooperators). For us, then, after the Promise it will no longer be possible to serve the Kingdom of God in any way other than the advancement and salvation of the young . Our way of deepening the knowledge of our Christian faith should then take the path of giving witness to the richness of the Salesian spirit . When we promise to live out the Project of Apostolic Life of the Association of Salesian Cooperators we are accepting to become a member of an Association as it is clearly and plainly described in Chapters 4 to 6. The Promise is then a reflection of the whole life of a Salesian Cooperator. Let s keep that in mind during our initial formation and when we renew our Promise. 6 6

THE PROMISE In-depth Analysis of the Promise as Salesian Cooperators Good practices. To renew the promise together, yearly, at one Salesian festivity. For example, on the date when we celebrate Mamma Margherita , the first Salesian Cooperator. A similar good practice is to renew the promise at the end of the Spiritual Exercises . To celebrate, within the family, the yearly anniversary of the Promise (similar to marriage anniversary). Put the Promise on small cards, so that each of the members can keep it in their wallet. Thus, it can be a constant reminder of our Salesian vocation. 7 7 7

THE PROMISE Conclusions To become members of the Association of Salesian Cooperators, everyone of us promised to follow the PVA, to live as Don Bosco wanted. He, himself wanted the Salesian Cooperators, as true Salesians in the world. In the Rule he wrote in 1876, he explicitly mentioned that it was possible for everyone of a minimum age of 16 to become part of the Association so long as the persons accept the rules of the Association, in terms of spirituality and mission. With the Promise we become part of Don Bosco s will, of Don Bosco s dream. With the promise we accept the PVA as our lifestyle. As we cannot be Salesian Cooperators alone similarly, we are not Cooperators if we don t follow the PVA in our daily life. Sometimes it won t be easy to live our Promise fully. That s OK. That is why we have our groups, our community, where we can share our challenges and get encouragement. 8 8 8 8

THE PROMISE Reflections First on a personal level and then as a group What is it about the Promise that excites me? Which words give me courage and encouragement in the Promise? What is the hardest part of the Promise for me to keep? In which area do I want to improve? What will I do to make it happen? 9 9 9 9

GRACIAS GRAZIE THANK YOU MERCI OBRIGADO 10